Adolphus schmokee



- (No Model.)

A. SGHMOKER.

GRAPE BASKET.

No. 341.060.. Pa 0.

tent-ed May 4, 1886.

N. PETERS. Fholn-Lilhogmphnr. Washinglon. D. C.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Anonrnns SOHMOKER, or KEUKA, new roan.

G RAPE-BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,060, dated May 4, 1886.

Application filed March 3, 1886. Serial No. 193.835. (No model.) a

To aZZ whom zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADOLPHUS SoHMoKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenka, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grape-Baskets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in baskets for shipping grapes and other fruits; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I11 the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a fruitbasket embodying my invention, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Heretofore baskets employed for shipping grapes have been made of wood, and are of a fragile character, frequently becoming broken in transportation, and thereby causing injury and loss to the fruit. Another objection to baskets made of wood is that the grapes frequently have a woody unpleasant flavor imparted to them when kept in the basket for several days, as is frequently the case in transporting them. To remedy these defects, I construct my basket of tin or other suitable cheap sheet metal, which is made of one or more pieces secured together in any suitable manner, and the upper edge of the basket is wired, as at a. This wire a has its central portion on opposite sides of the basket bent and doubled, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to provide a laterally-projecting flange or lug, b, on each side of the basket. Those portions of the upper edges of the sides of the basket which are in line with the flanges b are curved outwardly,

as at c, forming longitudinal tubes on the outer sides of the basket below the top edges of the basket. At the ends of the basket, at the upper edges thereof, portions of the sheet metal are curved outwardly, as at 0, also forming tubes, which bear under the wire at the upper edges of the basket.

In the tubes 6 are pivoted the central portions of wire-keepers or fastening devices f,

which are each formed of a single piece of wire having its ends bent first at right angles for a suitable distance to clear the cover of the basket, as at f, and-then at right angles again, as at the ends of the wire being crossed, as shown in Fig. 2, and their outer extremities bent at right: angles to form depending projecting points f, which are forced downwardly into the cover g of the basket, this cover being preferably made of wood.

It represents the handle of the basket, of which 'i represents a sheet-metal plate having its opposite edges bent around the central portions of wire bails k. These bails have their outer ends, which extend beyond the ends of the plate bent at right angles thereto, and have their lower ends provided with hooks Z. Wire catches in are secured one on one arm of each bail. It will be readily understood from this construction that the bails are pivoted to the plate '5, so that they may be rocked or swung therein.

In order to attach the handle to the basket, the arms of the bails are diverged sufficiently to cause the points of the hooks to clear the tubes 0 in the sides of thebasket, and the said arms are then pressed together, causing the hooks to enter the opposite ends of each tube, and thereby firmly secure the handle to the basket. The wire catches m are then turned so as to embrace the opposite arm of each bail, and thus prevent the arms from spreading apart and withdrawing the hooks from the tubes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The metallic vessel having its upper edge wired, the said wire having opposite portions bent and doubled outwardly, to form flanges or ears I), projecting beyond the sides of the vessel, substantially as described.

2. A sheet metallic vessel having portions of its upper edge out and bent to form tubes 0, in combination with the handle or bail having hooks to enter the said tubes, for the purposeset forth, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the vessel having the tubes (1 on its sides, of the handle having the pivoted bails provided with the hooks for entering the opposite ends of the tubes, to se- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as cure the said handle to the vessel, substanmy own I have hereto affixed my signature in IO tially as described. presence of two Witnesses.

4. The combination, with the vessel and the 5 cover or lid therefor, of the wire-keepers f,

pivoted to the vessel, and having the project- Witnesses: ing points f for engaging with the top or cover, F. M. MCDOWELL, substantially as described. FREDERICK SoHMOKER.

ADOLPHUS SCHMOKERI 

